In a brazen escalation of proxy warfare, Pakistan’s establishment has thrown its weight behind the outlawed Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), allowing the group to initiate a Khalistan referendum voter registration from the heart of Karachi. The April 29 event at the Karachi Press Club underscores Islamabad’s unapologetic embrace of an organization India brands as terrorist.
SFJ chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, while unveiling the campaign, boasted of 1.8 million registrants worldwide but outlined a cautious India rollout via gurdwaras—beginning in Delhi and snaking through Himachal, Haryana, to Punjab. He didn’t shy away from pledging allegiance to Pakistan, effusively praising Army Chief Asim Munir and promising solidarity in any India-Pakistan standoff.
This comes hot on the heels of Punjab Police dismantling a deadly conspiracy linked to ISI and Khalistani outfits, recovering enough arms to devastate multiple sites. SFJ’s timing reeks of retaliation, aiming to rekindle a separatist flame long extinguished in India.
Intelligence sources highlight SFJ’s pattern of data manipulation to feign momentum, a tactic that fools no one given the movement’s grassroots rejection in Punjab. The Karachi venue choice is telling: with Western crackdowns tightening, Pakistan offers safe harbor for disinformation campaigns, including deepfake videos and AI-crafted content portraying Punjab’s Sikhs as oppressed.
India’s security apparatus is ramping up countermeasures, eyes glued to online echo chambers where SFJ peddles lies. Officials predict swift failure for this referendum farce, emphasizing that public sentiment remains firmly against division. Yet, the specter of imported instability demands unwavering watchfulness.
